Terror attack during Holi foiled, say cops

A suspected Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist, aged around 40, was arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district, police said on Friday.

With his arrest, Delhi Police claimed to have averted a possible fidayeen attack in the Capital during Holi.

Sayyed Liyaqat Shah alias Liyaqat Bukhari, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, was nabbed on Wednesday soon after he entered India through Nepal where he had flown to from Karachi, said S N Shrivastava, special commissioner of police (special cell).

Liyaqat told police that he was directed to contact a person at Haji Arafat guest house at central Delhi’s Jama Masjid. “He was supposed to receive further instruction during the meeting at the guest house,” Shrivastava added.

A police team laid a trap to nab Liyaqat’s accomplice, but he did not turn up.

“It was later found that the person had left the key of the room at the reception. In the presence of the manager, the room was opened and a recovery took place,” said Shrivastava. An AK-56 rifle, three hand grenades, 220 grams of explosives, a memory card, two magazines, a map and dry fruits have been recovered from the room.

Liyaqat told police that he took a flight from Karachi and reached Kathmandu. He crossed the Sonauali border post and reached Gorakhpur where he was apprehended.

Black day plans

He said a jihadi militant group Muttahida Jihad Council, headed by HM leader Syed Salahuddin, had held a meeting early January in which the participants decided to observe Republic Day as “Black Day”.

“They had also decided to re-dedicate themselves to the cause of integration of Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan,” Shrivastava added.

After the meeting, Liyaqat was informed by HM commanders Ghazi Nasiruddin and Farooq Qureshi that he had been chosen to supervise young fidayeen recruits, who would commit “spectacular terror strikes in Delhi”.